Nerf Radar › VALORANT › Buffs and nerfs › May 2026
VALORANT buffs and nerfs: May 2026
Every buff and nerf from the 2 official updates Nerf Radar tracked for VALORANT in May 2026: 20 nerfs in all.
Nerf 20
Most buffed and nerfed
The entries ranked by the number of buffs and nerfs in May 2026. A count of changes, not a measure of their size.
| Changed | Buffs | Nerfs | Patches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucky | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Judge | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Shorty | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Neon | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Shotguns | 0 | 2 | 1 |
VALORANT Patch 12.10
· No buffs or nerfs among its 12 changes · Full breakdown → · Official notes ↗
VALORANT Patch 12.09
· 20 nerfs among its 40 changes · Full breakdown → · Official notes ↗
Nerfs (20)
Nerf
All platforms High Gear
Jumping with Neon's High Gear active no longer gives a speed bonus while airborne; her air speed while sprinting now matches melee speed.
Source line
Jumping with High Gear active no longer provides any speed bonus while Neon is airborne. Instead, Neon's air speed while sprinting will match melee speed.
Nerf
All platforms High Gear
Neon's fuel now only regenerates with a kill while her ultimate is active; it still regenerates passively.
Source line
Fuel will only regenerate with a kill when Neon's ultimate is active
- Fuel will still regenerate passively
Shotguns
Nerf
All platforms
All shotguns are now less accurate while moving; run, walk, crouch-walk and jump accuracy is standardized across them.
Source line
All shotguns are now less accurate when moving
- Run, walk, crouch-walk, and jump accuracy has been standardized across all shotguns
Nerf
All platforms
Shotguns are much less accurate on ropes: spread rises from 0.075 to 0.75 standing still, from 0.09 to 1.5 walking and from 0.1 to 3.0 running.
Source line
Shotguns are now much less accurate while using ropes
- Standing still: Accuracy reduced (spread increased from 0.075 >>> 0.75)
- Walking: Accuracy reduced (spread increased from 0.09 >>> 1.5)
- Running: Accuracy reduced (spread increased from 0.1 >>> 3.0)
Bucky
Nerf
All platforms Pellet damage (0-8m)
Bucky pellet damage at 0-8m drops: head from 40 to 34, body from 20 to 17 and legs from 17 to 14.
Source line
Bucky pellet damage in the 0-8m range decreased
- Head 40 >>> 34
- Body 20 >>> 17
- Legs 17 >>> 14
Nerf
All platforms Minimum spread
Minimum spread on the Bucky increases from 2.6 to 3.0.
2.6→3.0
Source line
Minimum spread increased from 2.6 >>> 3.0
Nerf
All platforms Walking spread
Walking spread on the Bucky increases from 0.075 to 1.
0.075→1
Source line
Walking spread increased from 0.075 >>> 1
Nerf
All platforms Running spread
Running spread on the Bucky increases from 0.1 to 2.
0.1→2
Source line
Running spread increased from .1 >>> 2
Nerf
All platforms Crouch-walk spread
Crouch-walk spread on the Bucky increases from 0.05 to 0.5.
0.05→0.5
Source line
Crouch-walk spread increased from .05 >>> .5
Nerf
All platforms Jump spread
Jump spread on the Bucky increases from 1.25 to 4.
1.25→4
Source line
Jump spread increased from 1.25 >>> 4
Nerf
PC only Minimum spread
Minimum spread on the Judge increases from 2.25 to 2.5 on PC; console gets this change in Patch 12.11.
2.25→2.5
Source line
Minimum spread increased from 2.25 >>> 2.5
- Note: this will only apply to PC for now- this spread change will apply to console in Patch 12.11
Nerf
All platforms Walking spread
Walking spread on the Judge increases from 0.075 to 1.
0.075→1
Source line
Walking spread increased from .075 >>> 1
Nerf
All platforms Running spread
Running spread on the Judge increases from 0.75 to 2.
0.75→2
Source line
Running spread increased from 0.75 >>> 2
Nerf
All platforms Crouch-walk spread
Crouch-walk spread on the Judge increases from 0.05 to 0.5.
0.05→0.5
Source line
Crouch-walk spread increased from .05 >>> .5
Nerf
All platforms Jump spread
Jump spread on the Judge increases from 2.25 to 4.
2.25→4
Source line
Jump spread increased from 2.25 >>> 4
Shorty
Nerf
All platforms Fire rate
The Shorty's fire rate drops from 3.33 to 3.0.
3.33→3.0
Source line
Fire rate decreased from 3.33 >>> 3.0
Nerf
All platforms Walking spread
Walking spread on the Shorty increases from 0.075 to 1.
0.075→1
Source line
Walking spread increased from .075 >>> 1
Nerf
All platforms Running spread
Running spread on the Shorty increases from 0.1 to 2.
0.1→2
Source line
Running spread increased from 0.1 >>> 2
Nerf
All platforms Crouch-walk spread
Crouch-walk spread on the Shorty increases from 0.05 to 0.5.
0.05→0.5
Source line
Crouch-walk spread increased from .05 >>> .5
Nerf
All platforms Jump spread
Jump spread on the Shorty increases from 1.25 to 4.
1.25→4
Source line
Jump spread increased from 1.25 >>> 4